1430 Sailed for Dunkirk towing 9 boats, guns fitted on the bridge of the tug

1915 Air Attack. Two sailors overboard by wash from destroyer. Cast off Tow and picked up one man but one seaman lost.Picked up tow and proceeded to Dunkirk.

2230 Anchored off beach above the harbour.The boats were sent in with Lt Wilkinson RN and a Lt Fletcher RNR in charge. 82 B.E.F. embarked during the night

1st June 1940

0315 Left Dunkirk with three boats in tow and anchored.

0330 Hove up anchor and shifted to clear shells (we hope).

0445 One boat swamped by a destroyer manoeuvring in an Air Attack and was cut adrift and abandoned.

0800 Another boat was swamped and abandoned.

0945 Arrived Ramsgate.

1100 82 troops landed by tender.

1515 Departed for Dunkirk with two boats in tow. (One of the boats being manned by a Sea Cadet Sidmouth-Willing).

1645 South of the North Goodwin Lightship a small trawler was seen to strike a mine.

1730 Air Attack, 3 bombers 10 bombs no hits.

1800 Spoke to R.N.L.I - E.D.M.E and Piloted her to Dunkirk.

2100 Cdr Tyler proceeded in to Dunkirk on board E.D.M.E.

2130 Sun IV arrived in Dunkirk. Shifted billet from time to time during the night. Lt R. H. Mead R.N.V.R. commanding E.D.M.E. was killed at about 2200 whilst alongside the M.S. Niger.

2nd June 1940

0340 Left Dunkirk at low water with 112 B.E.F on board towing E.D.M.E. with 39 troops and a lifeboat in tow. The tug grounded on the way out of the harbour but refloated after 10 to 15 minutes. Thick pall of smoke and fumes of shells etc.

0930 142 troops landed by tender at Ramsgate. Cdr Tyler disembarked.

2045 Proceeded to search for H/C Paris

3rd June 1940

0100 Located Paris, she was abandoned. Air Attack decided with Sun XV that Paris being heavily down by the stern and would require an escort, Proceeded homeward with Sun XV towing.

2320 Convoy arrived at Dunkirk most of the towed boats having been slipped in the vicinity of the SW Ruytingen Buoy.

2330 Sun IV picked up 12 French troops from an open boat at the entrance to the Harbour and anchored east of the entrance.

4th June 1940

0115 One of the MB Mermaiden returned and reported no more troops at "Quai Felix Faure" and that Commodore Taylor had left the Quai..

0200 Followed the Destroyer "Malcolm" in to the Harbour with the Racia and assisted her to keep vessel alongside the mole . Sun IV proceeded, picked up the waiting MB Mermaiden, which was slightly damaged and sailed for Ramsgate; Sun XV picked up another vessel halfway across and towed it home.

0230 Attacked by Plane driven off by gunfire.

0340 Took Mermaiden in tow, of the 14 MBs which started 8 or 9 had to be abandoned. The remainder found their way back to Ramsgate.

This is the notebook log of Desmond Hill, employed by the General Steam Navigation Company as a Second Mate [with Yachtmasters certificate], who travelled to Dunkirk in one of the ships lifeboats towed by SUN IV. The log has kindly been made available by Camilla Disley, granddaughter of Desmond Hill.

Thursday May 29th 1940

2.15 pm Capt. Watts phoned and asked if free and to go there at once.

3.05 pm Arrived Albermarle St told be at Admiralty (PLA Bldg) by 4.00 met a large crowd of Yachtmaster chaps

3.20 pm Took a taxi (4/6) to PLA next of kin etc taken. Admiral explains yachts at Ramsgate and will we take off BEF only for 2 days at most. Split into Deckhands, Navigators & Engineers!

5.20 pm Leave in a hurry and get Capt. Hudson’s permission to go: he says join Petrel on Monday. Phone Mother meet me Hammersmith with gear. Pater also and take fond farewell of Margaret, quite convinced shan’t see her again.

5.40 pm In train: mixed feelings as to whether I’m a dammed fool or not; eventually decide its necessary to go and won’t back out, feel rather heroic.

6.05 pm Get out at Walham Green or somewhere, in wrong train!

6.15 pm Meet parents and trot off to Gents Only. Return in more suitable clothing but no oilskin or boots because we’ll have a nice comfortable power yacht.

6.25 pm Back in train.

7.05 pm PLA. 7o’cl bus just gone, so go and have a pint in Crooked Billet with Robert.

7.30 pm Quite a crowd gathered now and we get a Nelson speech from a very charming Rear Admiral. Departed.

8.45 pm Stopped for beer.

9.20 pm Tilbury. Go on to stage and find lots of volunteers. Also lightermen and bargees. More requests for engineers. Some go off in lifeboats, of which apparently unending supply.

10.00 pm (?) Go over and sign on at BOT. MM Office. Won’t take me as chargehand so sign as deckhand.

11.00 pm (?) Back on landing stage got friendly now with several decent chaps who I think want someone who knows the way to Dunkirk. All issued with tinhats.

Friday May 30th 1940

12.00 am (?) Get into boat with Basle, Liddell and Walsh - choose a dry one and get a lovely tarpaulin. Put in charge of boat by Nav. Off. on quay.

12.15 am (?) Removed to another boat to be charge hand of that; no cover but a dry boat. Now with Robert, John and Guss. Take on 40 gal. fresh water and large case of bully beef. Eventually push off and proceed down river 12 boats on “Sun IV”. Divide up into 1hr watches afraid John did most of work that night.

4.00 am (?) Southend: stemmed tide and took on food:-
5 large loaves
1½ lbs butter and marg
20 tins of sardines, soups, veal and ham roll, jam etc
Tea, sugar, milk etc
All hands long since frozen to the marrow but quite cheerful. Nice to be afloat again and glad I came.

7.00 am (?) Rounded NE Shingles - little convoys all over channel. Ropes are all doubled but keep breaking. Guss is well away in after locker. Still frozen. Other tugs stop now and then to pick up boats adrift.

10.30 am (?) N. Foreland: dull and very cold: all curse weather. Have been eating breakfast on and off since 4 am: have some more. Cold salt water tea arrives in a dirty bucket, very welcome.

11.30 am Anchored off Ramsgate - bearded Lt goes ashore and returns with charts and orders. We’re to stay in the boats! Suddenly sun comes out and it’s beautifully warm. All hands delighted. Have lunch again and some more tea comes round.

2.00 pm Left Ramsgate

7.15 pm Sighted fierce aerial battle.

7.30 pm Plane in sea bombs dropped destroyer pompom.

7.48 pm 3½ miles off: temporary quiet.

8.02 pm 2 planes in sea astern and on fire.

8.12 pm Bomb just astern of dest.

8.16 pm Our tugs machine gunned.

8.18 pm 2 Men overboard - one lost …

8.40 pm Proceeded.

8.58 pm Rounded No 5W Dunkirk Roads.

9.00 pm Coming up Dunkirk Roads have some bread, butter and cheese. Tremendous fires raging ashore, explosions all the time and pall of smoke over everything hundreds of feet high. 2 paddlers just come out full of troops who gave us a cheer as they passed; all kinds drifters and odd craft about even the Portsmouth Isle of Wight car Ferry! Arial bombing getting less as light falls. Piers Hd Lt still intact.

9.30 pm Tug anchored about 1m off shore. ¾ E of Pier Hds. Start sorting out boats. come alongside tug and lash up to a motor lifeboat with no rudder, we’re to try steering both!

10.15 pm RNVR Lt comes aboard and we cast off. I find she steers quite well and makes about 3 knots. Strong ebb tide running. Very dark except for flashes from explosions.

Sound with an oar and anchor motorboat in about 8ft. Cast off and pull in. Hold her off just bumping: very slight swell and only small waves coming in, but quite enough - could do without any on this flat beach. Lieutenant goes ashore and in a few minutes we see a black mass show up dimly: so silent think they’re Jerries and get all ready to pull like blazes. Hear Lt’s voice and out comes first Tommy, they arrive in single file and very orderly, an amazing effort in the circumstances since shells are landing all the time (from 15 miles away we afterwards learnt). One came just ahead when we left tug and another right between us and tug when ½ way to beach.

January 1998

My log stopped there and I never bothered to complete it.

We were very busy most of the night doing 6 trips in all between tug and beach taking about 40 troops each trip.

I never saw any of the other lifeboats - mine was the only one towed all the way back to England.

Fantastic scenes at Ramsgate - all we wanted was to get home and go to sleep.

SUN III

Off Broadstairs the "Haste Away" and "Ada Mary" broke adrift but were picked up

1715 Arrived Ramsgate

1st June 1940

0915 Left Ramsgate with 4 barges in tow and proceeded astern of a car ferry (the "Fishbourne" which was en route to Dunkirk

1030 The 2 stern most barges broke adrift but were picked up and abreast of the South Falls the stern most barge "Haste Away" broke adrift and was taken in tow by the tug "Duke" which was in company. The "Fishbourne" was now out of sight.

1200 The aftermost barge "Ada Mary" broke adrift and was taken in tow by the tug "Duke"

1230 The tow broke but was reconnected. Approaching the Outer Ruytingen Buoy

Embarked 20 solders from a lifeboat

1700 Directed by a plane to 2 boats full of soldiers near the whistle buoy on the le Dyke off Gravelines.

One load taken by the "Sun III", the other by the "Duke"

Sun III then had about 148 men on board

2130 Decided to return, off Broadstairs the "Shannon" broke adrift but was picked up

CRESTED COCK

1715 Left Gravesend for Tilbury, towing the sailing barges "Glenway" "Spurgeon" and "Lark"

2215 Anchored Southend

30th May 1940

0445 Proceeded to Ramsgate and thence to Dover with the barges

1500 Dover

31st May 1940

0400 Left Dover towing a lighter loaded with fresh water etc and troops

1230 Arrived Dunkirk Roads, anchored with the lighter about 60 feet off the beach

The Lighter made her way to the beach

1315 Went to the assistance of the Dr "Impulsive" which had grounded on an uncharted rock and took her in tow

1410 Cast off the tow and escorted "Impulsive" to Dunkirk pier heads whence she proceeded to Dover on one engine, Crested Cock proceeded in company

2000 Arrived Dover

1st June 1940

2000 Went to assistance of Dr 96 "Worcester" which had been in collision with the P/V "Maid of Orleans" in Dover harbour. After assisting to rescueing troops in the sea took "Worcester" in tow and assisted by the tugs "Ocean Cock", "Challenge", "Sun XII", Sun XI and "Sun VII" berthed her

2130 Then proceeded towards Dunkirk with orders to pick up or rescue anything

CERVIA

2140 Left Dover, sailing barge "Royalty" in tow and the "Persia" towing two sailing barges "Sark" and "Shetland" in company

1st June 1940

0720 1 Mile east of Dunkirk pier, "Royalty" being towed at full speed, slipped tow and beached herself head on, on Malo beach. Air attack. Nine bombs fell in a line along the starboard side of the "Keith" which was outside "Cervia". Got underway to avoid the turning and twisting destroyer. Picked up boat of "Royalty" and also S/B "Duchess"

0800 "Keith" began to list and was again bombed; her guns were going all the time as she steamed round and round. She then stopped and let go her anchor. As the crew began to abandon ship the bombers machine guns gunned them.

The tug "Vincia" began to pick up survivors and the tug "St Abbs" got alongside the "Keith" starboard bow. A sloop also went to her assistance. "Cervia" turned around and picked up soldiers from a L/B

0815 At this time the Dr "Ivanhoe" to the westward was seen to be disabled and a small tanker the M/S "Skipjack" astern of the "Vincia" went up in flames. "Cervia" then took the sailing barge "Tollesbury", which had 200 troops under the hatches in tow. The M.L.B. "Orient IV" was added to the tow and "Cervia" proceeded down Dunkirk roads, when west of the pier heads, "Ivanhoe" was seen to be in tow of the "Persia" and "Vincia" with decks full of survivors passed the "Cervia"

0900 At No 5 W Buoy about 20 planes appeared. "Ivanhoe" put up a smoke screen and 9 bombs fell near a cross channel boat which however kept going 5 bombs fell about 100 feet on "Cervia’s" port bow lifting the tug out of the water. A bomb exploded between a sloop and the disabled destroyer she was towing (M/S "Saltash" towing Dr "Havant")

1500 In the Downs "Cervia" was met by the tug "Java" and ordered to Ramsgate. In all "Cervia" brought about 230 troops out of Dunkirk, the "Tollesbury and crew and crews of the "Duchess" and "Royalty" and the "Orient IV

The Dunkirk plate of Java. This was awarded to all tugs which attendcd the evacuation.

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FOSSA

Owners: (Gaselee & Son Ltd)

Tug Master: Capt G Finch

Naval Officer: Sub Lt Solomon RNVR

1st June 1940

1400 hrs Sub Lt Solomon on board at Ramsgate Commandeered the tug Contest but the crew were not ready to sail. He then commandeered the tug “Fossa”

2000 took in tow the MB “Thetis” (1) which was manned by one Petty Officer and two Sea Scouts and sailed for Dunkirk.
The two Sea Scouts were T Towndroy and S Brown of the 1st Mortlake Sea Scout Group.

2nd June 1940
0001 Arrived Dunkirk Sun Lt Solomon went ashore as liaison Officer and as a French Interpreter and left orders for the M/B to load at least three hundred troops on to the “Fossa”. The M/B’s steering cable broke on the first trip in to the harbour and the “Fossa” embarked the troops directly from the mole and proceeded seawards taking in tow the disabled M/B and an open naval cutter loaded with French troops

0350 Outside the harbour entrance the “Fossa” grounded. The M/V “Locust” could not get in close enough to tow off the “Fossa”. The “MLC 21” unsuccessfully attempted to tow the tug off and then embarked about one hundred of the “Fossa’s” troops and crew and proceeded to Ramsgate with them arriving at 1415

Note (1) Sub Lt Solomon called the M/B “Therune” but no M/B of this name can be traced.
Messrs Gaselee & Son Ltd reported that Captain Finch towed over only one M/B the name of which he did not know.

THETIS. Motor boat, owner H. Eaton.

LOCUST. RN Gunboat.

MLC21. RN Motor Launch.

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GONDIA

This log supplied by Keith Toms/Kevin Haydon

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SUN XI

Courtesy Keith Toms/Kevin Haydon

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OCEAN COCK

Courtesy Keith Toms/Kevin Haydon

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CHALLENGE

Courtesy Keith Toms/ Kevin Haydon

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SUN

Courtesy K Toms/ K Haydon

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SUN X

Report extracted from the logbook of the tug “Sun X”

Owners: WHJ Alexander and Co LtdTug Master: W.A. FothergillNaval Officer: S/Lt A.J. Weaver RNVR2nd June 19401515 Left Dover with 4 boats in tow one of them was the “Skylark III" in company with three other tugs “Sun XI”, “Fairplay 1” and “Foremost 87”2215 Arrived off DunkirkThe town was burning furiously, shells and bombs exploding all over the place and a pall of black smoke blowing gently to the westward blotting out the coastline.Cast off the tow2300 Entered the harbour to assist a grounded transport which was full of troops.Found there was insufficient depth of water.Picked up several boats loaded with men from the transport and proceeded outside the harbour to pick up the tugs boats.Embarked troops from the small boats.3rd June 1940After embarking 300 troops re entered the harbour to assist berthing transports0400 In the meantime the tugs boats had disappeared. Ordered to return to Dover0900 Arrived DoverDisembarked 211 troops.Note (1) Lieut Philpotts was sent to the “Sun X” with 3 boats and went ashore in Dunkirk as Beach Master and did not return.SKYLARK III. Motor cruiser owned by F. T. Collins.